Emma Baumgartner

Family functioning and binge drinking among Italian adolescents

Limited studies have sought to describe binge drinking among adolescents and even fewer studies have attempted to examine whether family functioning, family communication and satisfaction could be associated with alcohol abuse. Our sample was made up of 726 Italian adolescents between the ages of 16 and 18. According to previous research, adolescents were categorized into non-drinkers, social, binge and heavy drinkers. Results showed that social, binge and heavy drinkers differ in terms of some drinking variables, family functioning, family communication and satisfaction.

Time perspective and psychosocial positive functioning among Italian adolescents who binge eat and drink

Evidence of an association between binge eating and binge drinking and of related health consequences have stimulated investigators to examine and explore risk and protective factors plus the reasons why individuals engage in these risky behaviours (Benjamin & Wulfert, 2003; Ferriter & Ray, 2011). This study examined the relationship between binge drinking and eating, time perspective and psychological functioning. A cross-sectional survey of 1350 17-19 year-old adolescents was conducted. Findings suggested that adolescents engaged in both binge eating and binge drinking behaviours reported negative experiences in the past, and they showed a lower future orientation and a greater inclination to fatalism than did the other students Additionally, they were more likely to report lower feelings of satisfaction with life and self-esteem than the others. The pattern of results allows to conclude that time perspective may be a salient dimension when exploring the psychosocial correlates of binge behaviours, particularly within adolescents.

Links Among Italian Preschoolers’ Socioemotional Competence, Teacher–Child Relationship Quality, and Peer Acceptance

Research Findings: The purpose of the present study was to examine the relations among teacher–child relationship quality (close, conflictive, and dependent), childrens social behavior, and peer likability in a sample of Italian preschool-age children (46 boys, 42 girls). Preschool teachers evaluated the quality of the teacher–child relationship and childrens social behaviors (i.e., social competence, anger-aggression, and anxiety-withdrawal). Peer-rated likability was measured using a sociometric procedure. Results indicated that conflictual teacher–child relationships were related to high aggressive behavior, and dependent teacher–child relationships were positively associated with childrens anxiety-withdrawal. Moreover, we found an indirect association between close teacher–child relationship quality and peer likability through childrens social competence. Practice or Policy: The findings provide evidence that the teacher–child relationship is critical for childrens social behaviors and that social competence is uniquely related to peer likability.

Identity and conformism among Italian adolescents who binge eat and drink

This cross-sectional study examined binge eating and binge drinking behaviours analysing their association with the process of identity formation in adolescence and individual tendency towards conformism. The sample consisted of 1500 Italian students (660 boys and 840 girls) attending high school. The average age of the students was 17.31 years (SD = 1.34; range: 17–19). They completed self-report measures assessing binge behaviours, ego identity status and social conformism. Diffused adolescents were more likely to be engaged in binge eating and binge behaviours than others validating that the achievement of a consolidated ego identity is important for enhancing well-being and preventing problematic outcomes in adolescents. Moreover, adolescents engaging in binge behaviours reported the highest levels of tendency to compare their performances or ideas and opinions with others and to conform with them. The present study suggested that binge behaviours were strongly associated with an adolescents identity process and have important implications for future empirical investigation and for clinical intervention.

Suicidal ideation in Spanish and Italian lesbian and gay young adults: the role of internalized sexual stigma

BACKGROUND A growing body of research claims that sexual minority individuals have nearly twice the suicidal ideation rate of heterosexual individuals. METHOD The main objective of the current study was to test a model wherein internalized sexual stigma (ISS) mediates the association between some gay-related stressors and suicidal ideation. The present cross-sectional survey involved two samples of lesbian and gay young adults from Spain (N = 209) and Italy (N = 345). The total sample included 316 gay men and 228 lesbian women. Path analysis was used to test the direct and indirect (mediated) effects of the variables from different domains on repulsion by life. RESULTS In both the Spanish and Italian samples, past victimization experiences and ISS had a significant direct effect on repulsion by life. In both samples, ISS acted as a significant mediator in the effect of the concealment of ones sexual orientation and the religious involvement of repulsion by life. CONCLUSION The current study indicates that ISS is a potential moderator of the effect of concealing ones sexual orientation, religious involvement, and past experiences of victimization on suicidal attitudes.

Longitudinal study of sleep behavior in normal infants during the first year of life.

STUDY OBJECTIVES To longitudinally examine sleep patterns, habits, and parent-reported sleep problems during the first year of life. METHODS Seven hundred four parent/child pairs participated in a longitudinal cohort study. Structured interview recording general demographic data, feeding habits, intercurrent diseases, family history, sleep habits, and parental evaluation of the infants sleep carried out at 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months. RESULTS Nocturnal, daytime, and total sleep duration showed a high inter-individual variability in the first year of life associated with changes in the first 6 months and stability from 6 to 12 months. Bedtime was at around 22:00 and remained stable at 6, 9, and 12 months of age. Approximately 20% of the infants had more than 2 awakenings and slept more often in the parent bed. Nearly 10% of the infants were considered as having a problematic sleep by parents and this significantly correlated with nocturnal awakenings and difficulties falling asleep. CONCLUSIONS Sleep patterns change during the first year of life but most sleep variables (i.e., sleep latency and duration) show little variation from 6 to 12 months. Our data provide a context for clinicians to discuss sleep issues with parents and suggest that prevention efforts should focus to the first 3-6 months, since sleep patterns show stability from that time point to 12 months.

Binge eating and binge drinking behaviors: Individual differences in adolescents’ identity styles

Considering the significant negative consequences that are directly related to binge eating and drinking behaviors, many studies have explored the reasons why adolescents engage in them. This study examined the differences in the development, maintenance, and co-occurrence of “binge” behaviors associated with adolescent’s identity style and the level of commitment. One thousand four hundred Italian adolescents completed self-report measures assessing binge behaviors and identity styles. Overall, results show that diffused adolescents were more likely to be engaged in binge eating and binge drinking behaviors than others, validating the idea that the achievement of a consolidated ego identity is important for enhancing well-being.

Assessing Social Competence and Behavior Problems in a Sample of Italian Preschoolers Using the Social Competence and Behavior Evaluation Scale

Research Findings: The main goals of this study were to examine the factor validity of the Social Competence and Behavior Evaluation (SCBE-30) scale using exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis and to test factor invariance across gender in a sample of Italian preschool-age children (241 boys, 252 girls). The concurrent validity of the SCBE scale was examined with measures of childrens popularity and rejection. Our findings replicated a 3-factor model of the SCBE scale found in other studies with 3 correlated factors of social competence, anger–aggression, and anxiety–withdrawal. Multigroup confirmatory factor analyses provided evidence of configural, metric, and partial scalar invariance of the scale across gender. Popularity was positively related to childrens social competence and negatively related to anxiety–withdrawal. Rejection was positively related to childrens anger–aggression and anxiety–withdrawal and negatively related to social competence. Practice or Policy: The use of the SCBE scale in the Italian educational setting may help teachers understand childrens emotional and social competencies and thereby improve social adjustment in the classroom.

Suicidal Ideation among Italian and Spanish Young Adults: The Role of Sexual Orientation

The purpose of the current study was to identify demographic, social, and psychological variables associated with suicidal ideation in an Italian sample and a Spanish sample, taking into account the relevance of sexual orientation as a risk factor for suicide. Three hundred twenty gay and bisexual men, 396 heterosexual men, 281 lesbians and bisexual women, and 835 heterosexual women were recruited. In chi-square and multivariable logistic regression analyses we identified several consistent cross-national risk factors for suicidal ideation: having lower education, not being religious, being homosexual or bisexual, not being engaged in a stable relationship, having lower level of peer and parental attachment, and having depressive symptoms. Interestingly, the strongest risk factor in both samples, after depression symptoms, was sexual orientation.

The role of parenting styles and alcohol expectancies in teen binge drinking: A preliminary investigation among Italian adolescents and their parents

As adolescents’ alcohol abuse is more widespread almost everywhere, the aim of this study was to better understand the influence of both alcohol expectancies and parenting styles on this risky behaviour in order to allow the development of future prevention programmes, by evaluating the correlation between these variables. A total of 1500 subjects participated in this study: 500 high school students were asked to complete different questionnaires concerning their consumption attitude, and their beliefs on alcohol, whereas their parents (N = 1000) were asked to evaluate parenting styles. According to previous studies, the sample was classified into non-drinkers, social, binge and heavy drinkers. Consistent with the hypothesis, statistical analysis showed that both alcohol expectancies and parenting style significantly differ within these groups, thus being powerful predictors of high-risk drinking patterns.